Man killed in train vs. pedestrian crash in downtown DeKalb

DeKALB – A man was killed Sunday after he was hit by a train in downtown DeKalb, authorities said Monday.

DeKalb Police Chief David Byrd said investigators are still piecing together what happened.

“Right now we’re just treating it as a death investigation,” Byrd said Monday. “We’re still investigating. We need to talk to the family a little bit more, see if there’s any information we can obtain from them as far as motive.”

A witness called in the crash – which was reported at the train crossing on South Fourth Street downtown – at 8:46 p.m. Sunday.

A citywide emergency alert went out later Sunday warning area residents that a train had blocked all downtown traffic.

“Due to the train blocking all major intersections downtown, the best alternate routes of travel will be Annie Glidden and Peace Road,” according to the alert sent at 9:27 p.m. Sunday.

DeKalb police did not open up the train crossings until midnight, Byrd said.

Byrd said the man had a car legally parked nearby.